sometimes the spoon runs away with another spoon
by lexieconextreme
Summary: Once upon a time, in a land far, far away. . . Shion goes on a journey that will change his life, in more ways than one. (fairytale fic) NezumixShion


**Summary: Once upon a time, in a land far, far away. . . Shion goes on a journey that will change his life, in more ways than one. (fairytale fic) NezumixShion**

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 **A/N: It's a little weird in the beginning because I based it off the fairy tales that I've read, in which everyone was really religious and uptight about this sort of thing.**

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Once upon a time, there was a certain woman called Karan. It came to be that Karan was with child; but she could find no one to stand godfather for it because she was not married. After the child was born, Karan resolved to go out into the world and find anyone who might stand for her son.

After a week of travel, the young woman came across a poor man upon the road, who asked why she traveled alone with her child.

"My son was born out of wedlock," Karan answered evenly, though it was clear she held back great emotion. "I can find no one to stand for him in church. I decided I would look throughout the world for any compassionate person."

Rikiga, for that was the man's name, studied the beautiful woman before him. It was clear she was struggling, not just in life but in the soul. He decided to end her search. "I will stand as godfather for your son, dear lady, though I am so poor that I have no gift to give him."

"That is kind of you, sir," Karan answered gratefully. "All I ask is that you stand for him."

"And so I will. Let us proceed directly to the church."

As soon as they got there, the poor man said the name of the child should be Shion, for the purple aster; and so he was baptized. When they came away from the church, Rikiga said to the young mother, "I cannot go with you because I have nothing to give you, nor you to me; but take this key and take care of it until your boy is fifteen years old; and at that age he must go up the hill, and he will there come to a castle to which this key belongs and whatever is in the castle shall be his."

When Shion had grown to the age of seven, he was once playing with other children, and they teased him about having received no present from his godfather as they had. Then Shion went to his mother and asked why he hadn't been given a gift.

Karan sighed, glancing out the window at the hill, as if it might provide answers. "Your godfather did leave something for you, Shion. He left a key that would unlock the castle at the top of that hill on your fifteenth birthday. He said that whatever is inside is yours."

Shion joined his mother at the window, staring hard at the empty hilltop. "But there's nothing there!"

However, in eight years, on Shion's fifteenth birthday as promised, the castle appeared. His mother gave him the key and he immediately set off for the castle. Upon unlocking it, he found a strong, beautiful horse the color of gray slate standing inside.

Then Shion took leave of his mother, saying, "Now that I have got a horse, I will travel."

So then he went on the road, and before long he came across a shepherd whom Shion thought he might take with him before he resolved against it and rode on. But as he passed, the figure called out, "Hey! Stop! Take me with you!"

Shion turned immediately (missing his horse's irritated snort), helping the skinny fellow onto his horse. The shepherd quickly pulled a knife and held it close to Shion's throat.

"Careful," they chuckled. "Can't trust just anyone you meet on the road. They might be a cutthroat!"

"True," Shion agreed. "However, I don't think you are."

"And why is that?" the shepherd laughed, digging the blade in slightly.

"Because I don't think you have the look of one."

The shepherd was taken aback, but they quickly recovered and pulled the knife away, laughing incredulously. "Man, you are naive!"

Shion smiled slightly. "That may be so, but I'd much rather be that, than a cutthroat."

The horse snorted beneath them and Shion urged it on again. "So where are you headed?"

"The closest place with a roof and a bed," the shepherd replied. "Hey, what's your name?"

"Shion. And yours?"

"You can just call me Inukashi," they grinned.

"Do I get to know why, or if that's even your real name?"

"Nope!" The shepherd clearly seemed to think this point funny, so Shion let them have it.

Along the road the travelers went for many hours without meeting a single soul. Then, in the distance, they saw a house. The closer they got, the older it seemed, until they got so close that Shion thought no one could possibly live in it, it was so old. But there was fertile farm land around it, and washing hanging out to dry. In the distance, Shion and Inukashi could hear a boy's joyful laughter.

"Someone must live there after all," Shion murmured.

"Yeah, but it's not a place to stay," the shepherd answered. "Let's keep moving."

Shion spurred the horse forward until they eventually came to pass a tall tree under which the boy they'd heard earlier was playing. The boy held a long stick, and occasionally, when he had gained his courage, he would sprint toward a bees' nest that hung on one of the lowest branches and knock the nest. Then, laughing and shrieking with joy, the boy would run away into the nearby pond and stay there until the angry bees had left him.

It was clear the boy had done this a number of times already, for the nest was in bad repair. Shion watched with disapproval as the boy dragged himself out of the pond once more and ran toward the nest, long stick flailing wildly, almost beyond the boy's control.

Shion abruptly swung himself out of his saddle, almost dislodging the shepherd to the music of loud complaints, and intercepted the boy, half to the tree. Shion held out his hand and easily caught the out-of-control weapon. He yanked it out of the boys hand and broke it on his knee.

"That nest has done nothing to you," Shion said sternly, throwing away the two sticks.

"I was trying to get honey," the child said impetuously. "I thought if I got them all to leave the nest for good, I would be able to have some."

"What if you got it from them peacefully?" Shion asked. "Then the bees could keep their home and you could have honey whenever you want."

The boy stared at Shion hard before finally nodding. "Fine. Though I doubt they're very happy with me right now."

"Then apologize."

"To a bunch of bees?" the boy asked incredulously.

"Indeed." Shion marched up to the nest, pulling the boy along with him. "Excuse me, good bees, but if this boy were to apologize for his behaviour, would you be willing to share your bounty with him?"

The bees suddenly poured out from the nest, thousands filling the air around the tree. Finally, the nest was empty, except for a single Bee, bigger than the others. Shion thought she must be the Queen Bee. She crawled forward until she rested at the very doorway of her hive.

"We would accept those terms," the Queen replied. "If the apology were truly meant and no deception was made."

"I mean it," the boy replied. "I apologize for trying to destroy your hive."

"I accept. Once a week you will come to us, bringing a jar, and we will fill it with out best honey. But you will not come to us at any other time. Understand?"

The boy nodded, then ran back toward his house. Shion turned back to mount his own horse when the Queen stopped him.

"Come before me, young man."

Shion did so. The Queen's servants brought out of the hive, constructed perfectly of the finest white wax, a little reed pipe. The servants flew into the air and landed the pipe in his hand.

"In thanks for stopping the child from destroying our home, I give you this pipe, which at any time, should you need our assistance, you can blow upon it, and we will hasten to you."

Shion bowed. "Thank you, Queen."

The bees all once again entered the hive and began to rebuild while Shion remounted his horse, placing the pipe gently in his coat pocket.

"That was. . ." the shepherd began.

"Odd, I know."

"I was going to say incredibly stupid and a waste of time, but you know what? That works too."

"You can believe what you like, little master Inukashi," Shion replied laughingly. "But I saved the bees from cruelty and the boy from hunger. I consider that worthwhile."

"And yet, while you were talking to a _bee_ , the sun was sinking down over the horizon. We'll be lucky to get to a town at this rate, all because of your stupidity. You can only look out for yourself in this world; looking out for anyone else will just get you killed."

Shion merely smiled and continued to lead the horse down the road, a town coming into sight before very long.

Both the rider and his passenger were ignorant of the Horse's thoughts, which went something along the lines of, _this idiot really_ is _gonna get himself killed._

* * *

Now, it was unfortunate that Inukashi came there, for they knew all manner of evil tricks. There was at this a pretty young maid called Safu, who took a liking to Shion as soon as he came, because he was handsome and cheerful, and she asked him where he was going.

"I'm just traveling," he replied. "I'm doing my best to see the world."

"Perhaps you might stay here," Safu waid with a hopeful glint in her eye. "The King is looking for goodly servants, and I think he would be glad to have you."

"No, no, I couldn't! I decided to see the world, and so I will!"

"Are you sure?" the maid asked, pleading now. His answer was the same, but the next day, Safu went to King Yoming anyway and said she knew a good servant for him. The King told her to bring Shion to court, and when he heard that he had a horse he would not part with, the King hired Shion as his courier.

As soon as Inukashi heard of this, they asked Safu if she might get them a job as well, and, willing to oblige both, the maid got the shepherd a place in the household as well.

A morning or two after their arrival, King Yoming awoke moaning and groaning that he had not his bride. As soon as Inukashi heard this, they went to the King (because all along they had a spite against Shion) and told him that he might have his new courier bring his bride to him.

"And if he doesn't," Inukashi said with a dark look in their dark eyes, "let his head pay the price."

Thereupon Yoming summoned Shion to him and ordered him on pain of death to bring back his bride, the beautiful Princess Elyurias.

Shion went to the stable of his favorite horse, all but crying, lamenting his fate to his horse for the sake of someone to talk to.

"What the hell is your problem?" a voice asked impetuously. Shion looked around, but could see no one but the horse.

"I asked what your problem is!"

To Shion's utter astonishment, it was indeed the horse!

"Tsukiyo, you can speak‽" Shion asked incredulously.

"I suppose there's always the 'enchanted prince' shtick," the horse mused drolly, "but it's so overdone that it's a bit of a cliche, don't you think?"

"But how- -?"

"And my name isn't Tsukiyo, by the way."

Shion finally managed to close his jaw, which had been dangling somewhere near the floor. "W-what should I call you, then?"

"Hm. You can call me. . . Nezumi." The horse seemed to find this funny, for he nickered and snorted a few times.

"Why would I call a horse 'rat'?"

"Why should I tell you?" Nezumi shot back imperiously. "You didn't even answer my first question!"

"Oh." Shion blinked, still trying to find his footing.

"So?" the horse prompted, gentler this time. "Your problem?"

"The king has ordered me to bring back his bride so they can marry. If I do not, I am to lose my head."

"Wouldn't make much difference to now, would it?"

Shion glared at the horse. "Not helping."

The horse snorted again. "So what's the actual problem here, aside from losing your arguably necessary head?"

"I don't know where the princess is!"

Nezumi seemed to think for a moment, then; "Tell your king to give you two ships; one filled to the brim with bread and the other with honey."

Shion did so, and the King caused all the bakers in his kingdom to bake a mountain of bread; then told all citizens to bring in as much honey as they could for a cash reward. When this was done, Shion went to speak to Nezumi again.

"Now, take me with you aboard one of the ships and set sail. Eventually, we will come to a great swarm of horse flies, which will attack us if we do not bring them honey. When we approach, say,

"' _Peace be with you, horse flies, dear,_

 _For I have brought you, never fear,_

 _a good supply of honeyed cheer!'_

"Then we continue til we find the birds, which will peck out our eyes if we bring no bread. Say to the birds,

"' _Peace be with you, Ravens, dear,_

 _For I have brought you, never fear,_

 _a good supply of baker's cheer!'_

"If you say these words, they'll be satisfied, and the birds will retrieve the sleeping princess in her bed for you, and we should return home."

"How odd to be talking to flies and birds," Shion remarked.

"Says the boy who talked a bunch of bees into inaction."

"How do you know all this?"

"I think I read it in a book somewhere," Nezumi said vaguely. Shion could get no more out of him.

All happened as he said it would, and soon enough, the King held Princess Elyurias in his arms. But the princess said she must have her letters, so the King ordered Shion to get them, on pain of death.

Shion went again to the stable and told his horse his duty, and Nezumi advised him to load the ships as before.

Only, there was a problem. While the bakers did not have any trouble baking another mountain of bread to fill the ship, the King could not collect any more because the people had already given up everything they had. Shion told Nezumi the problem.

"Sorry, your majesty," the horse replied, "but I can't help you here."

"Surely you can do something!" Shion pleaded. "I don't want to lose my head!"

The horse fixed him with an icy stare. "Do I look like a _bee_ to you?"

Shion's eyes widened as the solution came to him in a flash. "No, but I know someone who does. Thanks Nezumi!" he called as he ran from the stable. Nezumi rolled his eyes as the boy left.

"Honestly, that _airheaded_ guy."

Outside, in the castle courtyard, Shion took from his pocket the wax reed pipe which the bee had given him and blew upon it. Immediately, a bee flew from a nearby garden to float in front of him.

"What do you require?" the bee asked.

"I need as much honey as possible in order to feed the giant horse flies," Shion answered. The bee flew off, and a few hours later, the sky filled with thousands of bees, bringing honey to the second ship by the bucket full.

As soon as the ship was full, Shion set off. When he came to the flies, he repeated the verse and gave them the honey. When he came to the birds, he did the same and soon arrived at the princess's castle. Nezumi told him where the princess's chamber was, so Shion could retrieve the letters. After this they brought home the letters safely to the palace where the wedding was about to be held.

Now, the Queen did not love the King much, because he had a small nose, but she took a great fancy to Shion. Once, when the whole court was assembled, the Queen said she knew an odd skill. She said she could cut off a man's head and put it back on again, with no injury to the man.

When Inukashi heard of this, they suggested to Elyurias that she experiment on Shion. After a while, she consented. Shion's head was cut of, but the Queen reattached it, with nothing but a red line remaining.

"Where did you learn to do that, my love?" asked the King, beyond impressed.

"Oh, I understand it well enough," she said by way of answer. "Would you like me to experiment on you as well?"

Yoming consented, but when Elyurias cut off his head, she refused to put it back on again. After the lapse of some time, Elyurias married Shion.

One day, when Shion was riding to visit his mother at her bakery, Nezumi told him to ride up the Hill three times.

"Why are we doing this again?" Shion grumbled the second time down. "I imagine we look quite foolish."

"You're the only one who looks foolish," Nezumi answered. "After all, a horse must obey his master, and to the people below, it looks like the horse's master is riding up and down a hill."

"I hate you," Shion muttered.

"Hate is a strong word," the horse observed.

"Okay then; I violently dislike you."

"Better."

The third time the two reached the top of the hill, in a flash of light, the horse suddenly resumed his normal shape and became a handsome prince.

When Nezumi transformed, the two fell to the ground, and there they stayed, staring at each other.

Finally, Shion gulped. "So, you're a prince."

Nezumi smirked. "And, seeing as how the princess usually marries the prince she saved from an evil enchantment, and you're already married, I really think you might have to get a divorce."

Shion blushed. "I'm not a princess."

The prince leapt to his feet, bowing and offering a hand up. "Sure you are, your _majesty_."

Shion took the proffered hand and stood. "Anyway, I thought you said the enchanted prince shtick was an overdone cliche."

"It is," Nezumi grinned. "That didn't make it any less true."

The two walked down the hill in silence. When they reached the bottom, Nezumi spoke, injecting every bit of playfulness into his voice as he could.

"Are you really gonna get a divorce?"

Shion could sense some bit of hope in Nezumi's voice, and that cemented his already-made decision.

"Well," he said, rolling his eyes teasingly, "if the princess absolutely _must_ marry the prince she saved. . ."

Nezumi smirked; Shion was beginning to notice that was something he did quite often. "Good luck getting that divorce, then. I get the feeling divorcing the Queen to run away with a prince won't exactly make the Pope or whoever happy, because, as you so astutely pointed out, you are _not_ a pretty princess."

"Well, she _did_ murder King Yoming," Shion said thoughtfully. "I'm sure that's grounds enough; though as for running away with a prince I hardly know, I'm sure I needn't mention it."

"Hardly know me?" Nezumi asked incredulously. "Hardly know me‽ I only helped you through the hardest points in your recent life! I gave you the way to spare your life!"

"But I didn't know you could talk until I was in trouble," Shion reminded him. "Heck, I didn't even know you were a cursed prince until just now!"

Nezumi made a noncommittal sound as they walked.

"Speaking of which," Shion suddenly said. "How did you know about the flies and the birds? I didn't know where the castle was, but you knew immediately. I didn't even tell you the princess's name!"

"I'm not sure. . ." Nezumi said slowly. "You just. . . told me your problem, and suddenly I knew what the solution was."

The two boys were silent again for a long time, and then the sun began to go down.

"You know," Shion began, "I was going to try and get away from her anyway."

"What?" Nezumi startled out of this thoughts.

"I was going to ask the Church for a divorce anyway. I was going to visit my mother to talk to her about it first, though."

Silence again. Then;

"Why were going to do that?"

"She murdered the king because he had a small nose," Shion said. "Then married me because she liked me more. So, one, I don't want to take my chances. Two-"

"Murderer," Nezumi finished for him.

"Exactly."

They continued on for quite a while before the sun started to sink behind the trees.

"We'll need to find a place to stay for the night," Shion said quietly. "At this pace, we won't make it back to the castle for several days at least, maybe a week or two at most."

"You are the king, are you not?" Nezumi asked. "Couldn't you just hire a coach or something?"

Shion shook his head. "Technically, I won't be king until my coronation in a few months. And, anyway, for that sort of thing, we'd need money to pay up front, which neither of us have, with you having previously been a horse and me being a forgetful knucklehead."

Nezumi stopped and stared at him. "You mean to say you didn't bring any money with you. At all."

Shion turned red under the glare. "Uh. . . yes?"

Nezumi groaned loudly. "God, you're a royal airhead!"

"So what are we going to do?"

"Either we're begging off strangers or we're hunting our own food. I would prefer the latter. I don't suppose you've had any training in that area at all?"

Shion shook his head.

"Great," Nezumi muttered. "Stuck, penniless, on the road with the not-yet-king, with no real tools to survive."

* * *

And now, here we will leave our two young heroes and go back in time, approximately sixteen years, to tell an older story. This story is told in order to explain events that occur only days after we last see Shion and Nezumi.

A long time ago, in the kingdom that Shion and Nezumi now travel through, a King and his Wife traveled through the country. They had lost their way, as well as their companions, and to make things rather worse, a storm raged wildly against them. Their horses and spirits were spent, so it was a great relief to see, through the whipping rain, the lights of a friendly home.

The King knocked upon the door of the millhouse, for that was what it was, and asked the owners if he and his wife might not stay the night there.

The miller kindly consented, and the miller's wife soon made up dinner and a bed for their guests. The storm passed overnight, and in the morning, the sun shone brightly upon the puddles of water on the road.

The King stood outside the mill, stretching and breathing in the fresh morning air, when he decided to go for a morning walk. He went along the road, following it to the mill pond, where the sun shone even more charmingly off its waters than the rain puddles.

As the King stood, staring out over the pond, trying to figure a way to meet up with the royal companions he and his wife had lost during the storm, a figure rose up out of the water in the shape of a beautiful woman. Her skin was dark and her thick black hair fell the entire length of her body.

 _Promise me what has just been born in your host's house, and I will lead you back to your kingdom and your companions._

Her voice was soft and smooth as silk, and the King, thinking that the host would not mind giving up a cat or a dog, for that was the only thing in the house that could have been born, agreed. Instantly, a map of the country appeared in his head, and in his head, he could see the correct path home.

Excited, he went back to the mill to ask his host for the newborn kitten or pup in the house, thinking to tell his wife that he knew the way home, when suddenly the miller's wife ran out of the house, smiling at him joyfully.

"Your majesty! Your wife has just borne a son!"

The King, understanding in an instant that he had been tricked, ran in immediately in to see his wife. With his heartbreaking, he told the queen what had happened while he was out. The queen was much grieved, but determined that if they left the mill and never returned, their son should be safe.

When the host heard the King's tale, he frowned.

"I would be careful, majesty," he warned. "The Nix is tricky, and somehow or other, she will find a way to get your son."

These words only made the new parents more anxious than ever to leave, and soon they did. The King was very glad that the path did not go by the mill pond, but in the opposite direction. Soon enough, the King and Queen rejoined with their royal companions and made great haste toward their own kingdom.

As he grew, the King and Queen always told the boy never to go to the kingdom, and especially, never to set foot near the mill where they had passed the stormy night.

This boy prince had a proper name, though he did not like it, and insisted on using a nickname: Nezumi. And in the years following Nezumi's birth, the King and Queen had another child; a daughter, by the name of Elyurias.

* * *

Days after we last saw them, the boys now slowly traveled through the country. While it was true that part of the reason for their speed was that they were walking, it was also because the more time the two spent together, the more they realized they enjoyed it. They enjoyed talking about the books they had read or not read and telling stories from their different kingdoms.

But also, their speed was partly because of a sense of foreboding that both shared, not knowing why, and each not telling the other of this sense. They both thought something bad might happen at the castle, and they both wanted to avoid it, as long as possible.

Eventually, as they walked, they came to a wide clearing where, in the distance, they could see a tall mill, standing against the blue sky. In front of them was a beautiful pond, just the right temperature for a quick dip.

Not realizing that this was the same mill pond his parents had warned him against, Nezumi darted right up to the edge of the water, intending to splash some water into Shion's eyes before he could realize what was happening. But the moment his foot touched the water, a hand rose up and dragged him under.

Shion screamed his friend's name and ran to the edge, jumping in without a moment's hesitation and swimming about, trying to find his lost friend.

Finally, all but exhausted and understanding that he wouldn't be able to find Nezumi like this, Shion dragged himself out of the water and onto the beach, though he didn't lay down, like his tired body told him to do, and instead paced around the edge, over and over and over again, until he had truly exhausted himself. Determined to stay nearby, Shion at last lay down upon the beach and fell into a deep sleep. And while he was asleep, he dreamed.

In the dream, Shion thought that he walked away from the mill pond and followed a path that led through the woods and up a steep hill. When Shion reached the top, he found a small house. Through the window of the house, he saw a little old woman, who at once looked up and beckoned to him kindly.

Shion awoke suddenly, the first rays of dawn peeking over the horizon. Believing that the old woman in his dream might actually be able to help, Shion located the path he had seen in his dream and followed it, all the way to the house at the top of the steep hill. Inside, as he had seen in his dream, a woman sat at a spinning wheel. She looked up and beckoned to him. Shion entered at the door and waited for the old woman to speak.

"What brings you here, my son?" she said finally. "You would not have found your way to my house if you were not grieving in some way."

"My friend," Shion croaked through a dry throat. He cleared it. "My friend, Nezumi. He was taken by some sort of creature in the mill pond."

"The Nix," the wise woman said in answer. "I know of her. She has long caused trouble in that area."

"Is there anything I can do to bring Nezumi back?"

The old woman got up and took a box from the hearth. Opening it, she took out a golden comb and handed it to Shion.

"Take this comb and, at the next full moon, go and sit on the beach and comb your hair. When you have done so, set the comb before you, lay down, and see what happens."

Shion did as the woman asked, though it was nearly two and a half weeks until the next full moon. The time passed slowly, but Shion was determined to get Nezumi away from the Nix.

Soon the full moon came, and Shion did as the wise woman instructed. He sat down on the beach and combed his hair, and as he did so, he realized that the full moon was bleaching all of the color out of his hair. He could have stopped before it was complete, but he was determined to bring Nezumi back. When Shion had finished, his hair completely white, he set the comb before him on the sand, then laid down and watched.

He had not long to wait, for a minute after he had set the comb down, the water bubbled and came up the shore to take the comb into pond. From the bubbling, Nezumi's head emerged, and Shion sat up and stared at him in shock. He called his friend's name, but Nezumi could not answer, for his eyes were closed like he was asleep; then his head was pulled below the water once more.

Shion fell asleep on the beach, wondering if the answer might come to him as before, and he was right. He once again dreamt that he went to visit the wise woman on the hill, and when he awoke, he went and did just that.

This time, she gave him a golden flute, with all the same instructions as before. However, the days passed even slower than before, and it was all Shion could do to contain himself and his impatience. But wait he did, and when the full moon rose again, Shion went to the beach and sat himself down. He played the instrument (not well, by any definition), then set it on the beach before him, laid down, and waited.

This time, the water bubbled even more furiously and rose up to collect the flute. Out of the froth rose most of Nezumi's body; only his legs remained captured by the Nix. His eyes were still closed, and his body standing limply, as one who sleep-walked. A moment later, he was again swallowed by the pond.

Sure that he should follow the same course as before, Shion went to sleep again, and had the dream of visiting the old woman.

When he arrived at the house the next morning, she gave Shion a golden bow and twelve golden arrows, with the instructions that he should sit on the beach under the next full moon and shoot an arrow into the water every five minutes until he ran out, then lay the bow before him, lay down, and wait.

This time, Shion endured the passing days with endless patience. He was sure that he would get Nezumi back after he had given the Nix the bow and arrows. Only his legs remained, after all.

And so the days passed, and when the full moon rose, Shion was already at the beach. He sat down, and, one by one, every five minutes, he began to shoot the arrows into the water. Each time, the water bubbled up a little farther to take the gifts, and when he had finished, Shion set the bow before him and laid down.

The water bubbled higher than ever before and took the bow, spitting Nezumi out at almost the same time. Nezumi collapsed onto the beach beside him, soaking wet and coughing up water. While under the Nix's protection, he had inhaled no water, but after the bow had been taken, Nezumi was released and had to swim his own way up to the beach.

Shion held Nezumi while he recovered, but kept an anxious eye on the water. Soon enough, the water once again began to bubble and spill over the edges of the pond.

"Nezumi, we have to get away!" Shion dragged the half-drowned boy to his feet and pulled him away, toward the mill house. The water continued to rise, faster than Shion could help Nezumi, and definitely faster than Nezumi could stumble along.

The water overtook them, and Shion clung to Nezumi's hand, but he could feel them slipping. The wise-woman was kind to them and changed Shion into a rose tree and Nezumi into the rose on the tree; and so they weathered the flood.

When the waters subsided, Shion and Nezumi regained their natural forms, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.

"That is the last time I change into anything else," Nezumi growled and Shion laughed softly. They lay quietly on the grass for a time, just enjoying each other's company. Finally, however, Nezumi turned his head to speak to Shion.

"What's with your hair?"

Shion started, then looked at him strangely. " _That's_ what you have to say?"

"Well, yeah. I go into the lake with a brunet behind me, and wake up in the arms of some weird-looking kid with white hair."

Shion glared at him. "I'm not weird-looking!"

"Really?" Nezumi challenged. "Who else can you think of with white hair like that?"

Shion thought a moment. "I saw a Knightmaster once, with dreadlocked white hair."

"A Knightmaster?" Nezumi whistled. "Wow. They're rare."

"Yeah. She was pretty cool."

Silence again fell, until Nezumi could no longer resist asking the question he really wanted an answer to.

"Why _did_ you wait for me?" he asked. "Why did you wait for months? You could've gone home and lived your cushy life. Why did you stay?"

"I'm leaving the murderous queen, remember?" Shion said wryly. "And what kind of curse-removing-princess-wife-to-be would I be if I just left you there with the Nix?"

Nezumi snorted into laughter. Shion flipped onto his side to look at Nezumi. "That didn't sound very princely, just so you know."

Nezumi tossed him a glare before sitting up to glance around them. The flood had carried them considerably closer to the castle, so close that Nezumi now recognized where they were.

"I think we should get going," he said quietly. "Your wife is more than likely concerned about your long absence, and we wouldn't want to keep her waiting."

Shion nodded and both boys dragged themselves to their feet and continued down the road. In just an hour's time, the castle was within sight. They paused at the crest of a hill overlooking the valley in which the castle sat, surrounded by the Capitol city.

"This is it."

Neither one of them was sure who said it, and perhaps it was both, but they felt that earlier sense of foreboding rise once again. It continued to increase all the way through the city.

Finally, the two boys came to the castle wall. In sudden, sporadic movements, Nezumi pulled Shion aside, out of sight of the people on the road.

"Just in case this doesn't go well and I don't get to see you again." Before Shion could ask what he meant, Nezumi leaned forward and kissed him. Shion was too surprised at the sudden contact to react, but when he had regained his senses, it was too late, and Nezumi was already moving away. Shion took one moment further to compose himself before he stepped back into the street and knocked at the castle door.

When the soldiers found out that it was Shion, the Queen's husband, at the door, he and Nezumi were quickly led in, clothed, and properly fed. Then an escort took them both to the Queen's anteroom and told to wait for her arrival.

"By the way," Nezumi began. Shion looked back into his cool gray accusing eyes. "Why _did_ you marry this murderous queen?"

"She didn't give me much choice," Shion murmured, wary of any unwelcome, listening ear. "She threatened to hurt my mother if I didn't."

Nezumi muttered something to himself that Shion didn't quite catch, but he moved on. "Say, Shion. What _is_ this queen's name?"

Shion frowned. "You don't remember? I'm sure I must have told it to you sometime after I found out you weren't just a horse."

"You think I remember everything from my time as a horse?" Nezumi snapped. "'Cause I don't; it's all kinda muddled. So, what's her name?"

"Elyurias," Shion stammered. Nezumi blinked, then frowned. The frown darkened terribly, so that Shion was almost afraid.

"Uh, Shion? We need to get out of here."

"What? Why-"

"Now!"

"Excuse me, your majesties. The Queen is approaching."

Nezumi's face turned several degrees whiter. "Shion, there's something I need to tell you."

"Elyurias. She's-"

"Shion," a woman's voice called. "Where have you been? And who's this handsome fellow I heard you brought?"

The Queen entered the room, and froze when she saw Nezumi. Slowly, a wide, if not completely sincere, smile crossed her face.

"Brother?"

". . . my sister," Nezumi finished quietly. Shion watched the distress on his fine features melt into a carefully guarded smile before the shock actually hit him.

 _So. . . Nezumi's my brother-in-law?_

Nezumi stepped forward hesitantly, as if he wasn't sure whether he should kiss her hand, hug her, or stay completely away. "Elyurias. It's good to see you. It's been a long time."

 _This is way more difficult than I thought it was going to be_.

"You disappeared years ago," the Queen whispered. "How are you back?"

"Typical enchantment," Nezumi said with a bored, dismissive wave of the hand. "Your husband here is the one who broke it."

Elyurias's smile grew. "Really? Amazing! Imagine that. . . my husband rescuing my brother. How funny!"

"Know what's also funny, _sister_?" Nezumi asked, the room temperature dropping suddenly with his voice. It was frigid. "The fact that you murdered King Yoming, and that if you don't divorce Shion, I'll have you arrested."

Shion blinked. _Perhaps not as hard as I thought._

Elyurias stared at her brother in betrayed shock before moving her gaze to Shion, who looked away immediately, though whether it was from guilt, fear, or some other emotion, he was not sure.

"Why?"

"Perhaps he doesn't want a murderess for a wife?" Nezumi was the picture of cool, calm, and collected. Shion wondered how he could speak to his own sister in this manner.

Elyurias's face paled with rage. "Or perhaps," she hissed, "you want him for yourself."

Nezumi's face tightened, though he said nothing.

"You think I didn't notice, dearest brother, how your attentions never really fell to the ladies? I watched you flirt with every handsome suitor who came my way, and even manage to take a few. I had hoped it was just a phase, and when you disappeared, I feared you had run off with some man who shared your. . . your _disease_. But now you're back, and you're taking my husband."

"No," Shion said sharply, thoroughly enraged by his wife's speech. Elyurias looked at him in surprise, Nezumi quickly following suite, as if neither one of them had expected him to join in the argument. "Your _husband_ is going with him willingly. He's not _taking_ anything."

"Well, I won't disgrace myself with a divorce," she said, quickly recovering. "The people would never approve."

"Then you'll have to live with the disgrace of your husband running off with your brother," Shion snarled, grabbing the still-shocked Nezumi's hand. "We're leaving."

Shion dragged the young prince toward the door, hindered only when Nezumi turned back to his sister once more.

"Remember how Mother and Father used to change the common bedtime stories for us, Ellie? Remember?"

Elyurias gritted her teeth in response.

Turning away, Nezumi spoke his last words to his sister with his back turned. "Sometimes. . . sometimes, the spoon runs away with another spoon. Just remember that, Ellie."

With that, Shion and Nezumi left the castle quietly, doing their best not to attract attention. After many days of wearying, arduous travel, they finally reached the kingdom belonging to Nezumi's parents, who were good and just leaders, as well as kindly people.

There, the two men stayed for many years. And, while they could not be married in the eyes of the church, they lived as though they were, and when the old king and queen passed away, Shion and Nezumi inherited the kingdom and continued to rule as their predecessors had.

And while Shion and Nezumi's kingdom flourished, Elyurias's fared badly for many years, until the two Kings of Nanbāshikkusu took pity on her and her kingdom, and aided them in their losing wars and brought food to the starving people.

Even after the show of kindness, Elyurias refused to forgive either of them for the humiliation she had suffered. The Queen of Mao lived a long and miserable life until, one day, she was found in her garden, having been stung to death my hundreds of bees.

But Shion and Nezumi lived in happiness and prosperity to the end of their days, and so lived happily ever after.

* * *

 **A/N: The fairy tales made me do it.**

 **If you're interested in where the hell this all came from, check out the Brothers Grimm tales, "Ferdinand the Faithful and Ferdinand the Unfaithful," and "The Nix in the Pond." I also used some elements from "The Goose-Girl at the Well," "Roland," and "Fir-Apple."**

 **Hope this wasn't a bad introduction into the No. 6 fanfic community, even though this has almost (absolutely) nothing to do with the actual plot. However, I maintain my defense: the fairy tales made me do it.**


End file.
